Height loss is commonly associated with spinal fractures, typically referred to as vertebral compression fractures. A large segment of osteoporotic patients experience vertebral compression fractures, with an estimated 700,000 such fractures occurring annually. Kyphoplasty is a minimally invasive procedure that is used to treat vertebral compression fractures using a combination of vertebroplasty utilizing bone cement with balloon catheter technology. The kyphoplasty procedure restores height of the collapsed spinal bone which diminishes associated back pain.
In a kyphoplasty procedure, an inflatable balloon tamp (IBT) is inserted inside a fractured vertebral body. The IBT is inflated to separate the vertebra and create a cavity that is filled with bone cement to maintain the height correction.
Currently, in a kyphoplasty procedure, the IBT is typically stored or inserted in a cannula sized for the balloon with a diameter of the cannula of a sufficient width to accommodate the balloon in its entirety. Because the kyphoplasty requires an insertion into tissue, it is desirable to reduce the outer diameter of the cannula without negatively impacting the insertion forces of the IBT.